Help yourself brekky??

[lacabanne]

Hi All, We are just starting our new chd in our new house and we thought we might do the breakfast differently this time, 2 bedrooms share their own kitchen/dining/ living room so I thought I would stock the kitchen with all the nessessarys and leave them to it, what do you think?

[water rat]

The problem is that the nature of Chambres d'hotes is sharing with the hosts and most french expect this. so they may feel a bit cold shouldered if you adopt this approach.

[Quillan]

I don't think you can do that as you won't be a CDH if you do. I suggest before doing anything you speak to somebody like Gite de France or Clevacances who will guide you through registering etc and tell you what you can and cannot do from a legal point of view.

[lacabanne]

Yeah, I do see what you mean but we have stayed in many CHD's and never has a host sat with us for breakfast, just sort of hovered with the coffee pot which I really hate, thought it might be nice for them to relax and enjoye breakfast at their own pace,

[Quillan]

I don't hover and I don't pour out the coffee but I am 'on hand' if they want anything. It's also helpful to them, you ask if they had a good day before and what they did, you start to understand what their interests are and can suggest things they might like to do or see to enhance their time with you ever further. It also gives you the opportunity to 'sell' your area and get them to spend money locally to boost the local economy.

[velcorin]

Also the first French guest will take everything.....................saves them buying lunch. [:D]

[Quillan]

Not if the Belgians or Dutch get there first they won't, there will be nothing left for the French, they will probably take the plates, cutlery and napkins too. In the case of the Dutch you have to hide the potatoes as well.

[nomoss]

In Mallorca it's the Brits who are renowned for filling up bags for a free lunch from the breakfast buffet. A waiter friend told me he was simply too surprised and embarrassed to say anything.

[Cendrillon]

If  I were staying in a Chambre d'hote I would like my breakfast made for me and served by the host, otherwise you may as well be in self catering accommodation.

I think the guests might like to use the guest kitchen to prepare a packed lunch or even a snack for the children.

[Swissie]

Yes Cendrillon, I agree.

BTW when one of our daughters was in Ibiza, she and her friend turned up at the good hotel next to their cheap self-catering accommodation, day in day out for lunch (which was their breakfast) and just joined the Buffet. The waiters cottoned on very quickly, but would just wink or wave!

[nomoss]

[quote user="Swissie"]Yes Cendrillon, I agree.

BTW when one of our daughters was in Ibiza, she and her friend turned up at the good hotel next to their cheap self-catering accommodation, day in day out for lunch (which was their breakfast) and just joined the Buffet. The waiters cottoned on very quickly, but would just wink or wave!
[/quote]

 

Rather illustrates my point, Swissie [:)]

What else would you expect the waiters to do. They (the waiters) weren't paying for the food. My Spanish waiter friend also asked me if the people from UK were so poor they were used to scrounging like that. I also felt a bit ashamed at that.

Edit. When it came to time for the bill in a bar or restaurant in Spain, we were often asked what we had had. It still happens these days, but not where there are a lot of tourists, except for regular customers.

[lacabanne]

Hmmm, Ok point taken, I think I had better stick with the tried and trusted .

I think I have just got lazy over the years but I must say I would miss the interaction, I love it really !!